Helen J. Mendez 9/9/12 P.

5 Mandala Artist Statement There has been many events, people, experiences, and memories that have shaped me as a person today. Therefore when I ask myself, who am I, I must take into consideration these things that have had an impact on my life. In an effort to embody my identity into the mandala I inserted images and symbols symbolizing who I am in which Ill explain in the following list:
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My puppy Angel sleeping (center image): Angel is the central image of my mandala because hes an important non human in my life since to me hes a symbol of strength and endurance. He has been close to death and has broken his leg however he always overcame his struggles. Angel is also more than a pet to me; Hes comforting and plays a significant factor in my life since because of him I have become more aware of my love for animals; this affection has led me to consider becoming a vet in the future.

Me & my cousins: This image represents some of the special people in my life. They are important to me because they have always been there for me and weve gone through happy and bad times together,

Key with success: This symbol is important to me because I believe I can succeed in anything. However the key thing about my success will be based on how bad I want it and how much Ill be willing to work for it.

Dove: This symbol represents my religion because I feel religion has had an effect on my life since its something I grew up with. My faith is what gives me hope and is part of what guides my life.

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The tree with people: This image symbolizes my family and how close we are. The tree represents how attached we are to our roots because my family has always been close. Since we were kids the family would always get together and thats where my happy memories have come from, those moments Ive spent with the family.

Baseball and soccer: These images are important to me since its something Ive grown up with. My brother and dad have always played soccer and baseball; to me it also represents my background since soccer is connected to my Mexican side and baseball to my American side which therefore is a symbol of me as a Mexican American.

Love with animal paw: Represents who I am because Im an animal lover. Since I can remember Ive always been interested in animals. Ive had parakeets, lizards, dogs, and fishes. Its something I feel passionate about.

Mayan calendar: This image is important to me because it represent me as a person and my culture. I feel its part of my roots; it represents me and my people which I feel is important because I feel every person is unique and has a story to tell which to me being part Mayan is part of it.

Terno (dress): Represents my culture and how my family and I try to keep it alive in our customs. Its part of who we are and its something I take pride in with my family; this traditional dress represents tradition and is something my family and I try to integrate into our lives.

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Light bulb: This image is symbolic of the type of person I am since I consider myself smart and bright. I feel I can brighten the day of those close to me and I feel I am sharp about things in school and everyday life.

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I love my family: This image says it all. It represents how I feel about family especially my family. I feel close to my parents; to me my family is important because they are what come first before anything else. They have shaped me as a person especially my parents because they have guided me since a child to where I am now. My parents are important because theyve always wanted the best for me and have always stressed the importance of doing the right thing.

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River with trees: This picture represents me because I feel I enjoy being out in the nature. Being out in the nature to me is where one can appreciate and see how valuable our earth is and is something I want experience in the future by going to places like Yosemite National Park.

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15 ring: It represents a traditional Hispanic custom in which a girl is celebrated for turning fifteen years old. On that special day I was full of happiness and was able to spend it with those I love and have been an important aspect of my life like my parents, relatives and friends.

My mandala represents my personal aesthetic since the images represent what I find beautiful and important to me. This mandala ties together the objects, people, non humans and events that have shaped me as a person.